By Thomas Tracy
HAVE NOTE, WILL ROB: A note-passing bandit is being sought for robbing a Canarsie bank this past Friday. Workers at the Washington Mutual Bank located at 1764 Rockaway Parkway told police that the unidentified male entered the bank at about 4:30 p.m. on May 13, and casually walked up to a teller. The suspect reportedly passed a threatening note and walked out $2,000 richer. Police were told that the thief exited the bank to an awaiting car. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. Calls can be made to the 69th Precinct at (718) 257-6211. All calls will be kept confidential. *** FOUND DEAD IN APARTMENT: A 57-year-old man was found shot to death in his East 103rd Street apartment Sunday night, officials said. As of this writing, police believe that the gunshot wound found behind the victim’s ear was self-inflicted. Police said that they found the victim lying on a couch in his living room at 9 p.m. on May 15. *** COPS SEARCH FOR GUNMEN: Police are looking for two men who held up the M-Y Grocery at 9202 Avenue M Friday evening. Workers told police that the two unidentified males entered the store at about 6 p.m. on May 13 when one of them pulled a gun and ordered everyone to the back of the store. The suspects robbed the register of $1,000 and fled, officials said. No injuries were reported. Detectives from the 69th Precinct are actively searching for the identity and whereabouts of these two men. *** THUG NABBED FOR PURSE SNATCHING: A keen-eyed cop is being lauded for stopping a purse snatching at the corner of East 96th Street and Seaview Avenue last week. Officials said that Police Officer Raso was patrolling Canarsie at 2:30 p.m. on May 16 when he spotted a man and a woman in a tug of war over a purse. The suspect had finally wrested the bag from his victim’s hands and was running off with it when Officer Raso stepped in. The alleged thief, later identified as 21-year-old Steven Vasquez, was taken into custody without incident, charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. *** CANARSIENS LINKED TO BAY RIDGE ROBBERY: A group of teens from Canarsie High School could be responsible for a robbery that took place half a world away from their alma mater – a Bay Ridge handball court near the corner of 85th Street and Colonial Road. The victim, 18, told police that he was playing handball with friends when the teens toting around Canarsie High School baseball equipment bags surrounded him. Police said that the victim was punched in the head, knocked to the floor and robbed of his cell phone, officials said. The robbery took place at 6:10 p.m. on May 9. *** THREE SHOT OUTSIDE OF BREUKELEN HOUSES: Cops are looking for a suspect who opened fire outside the Breukelen Houses last week, injuring three people. Police said that the shooting took place at the corner of East 105th Street and Flatlands Avenue at 9 p.m. on May 9. All three victims were shot in the legs, officials said. They were taken to area hospitals where they were listed in stable condition. As of this writing, cops had not released a description of the shooter. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to come forward. Calls can be made to the 69th Precinct at (718) 257-6211. All calls will be kept confidential. *** MURDER SEARCH BEGINS ANEW: With the help of America’s Most Wanted, cops are renewing their hunt for a murderer involved in a shocking Independence Day killing. This past weekend, the picture of Raheem “Radio” Edwards was shown to the nation as investigators continue a multi-jurisdictional search for him. Edwards has been accused of gunning down Daniel Springer, a Canarsie resident, as he and a friend returned home on July 4, 2004. In a horrid case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Edwards allegedly shot blindly in Springer’s direction on East 98th Street because he couldn’t find his intended victim. “I didn’t come here for nothing,” witnesses heard Edwards say as he pulled a gun and started blasting in Springer’s direction. Seven shots were fired. Springer was hit in the back as he and his friend ran away and died at the hospital a few hours later, according to police. Edwards fled the jurisdiction, but has since been spotted down south, police said. Detectives also discovered that Edwards is a suspect in another murder, this one in Anaheim, California. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. A $2,000 reward has been posted for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the one responsible. Calls can be made to either the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** COPS: HELP CLEAN UP GRAFFITI WHILE EARNING SOME GREEN: As the ongoing war against graffiti vandals continues, cops are now offering up to $500 in reward money to anyone who can offer them information that can lead them to anyone who commits graffiti vandalism. The hefty reward is part of the city’s new push to rid New York of graffiti vandals. Graffiti is one of the leading quality of life complaints brought to police. Officials said that cleaning up graffiti is essential to the plan, to show that the community is no longer going to tolerate marred and tagged-up walls and street corners. According to police there is a perception that if a community will tolerate graffiti, they will tolerate other criminal activities, such as drug dealing and prostitution. Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism is urged to contact either 311 or 911. *** SCRAMBLING FOR HELP: A mortally wounded man stumbled eight blocks looking for help until he fell to the ground, succumbing to the gaping bullet wound hammered into his back. Area cops are trying to find out who shot the unidentified male, and why. Officials said that the victim was reportedly shot in the back at the corner of Troy Avenue and Lincoln Place at around 8 p.m. on May 12. Witnesses said that the victim, despite his wound, managed to walk toward the nearest bustling thoroughfare – Eastern Parkway – to get help. Once he reached Eastern Parkway, he collapsed, officials said. Emergency workers rushed him to Kings County Hospital. He died of his wound roughly an hour later. As of this writing, cops were still trying to identify the victim, described only as a black man between 25 and 30, since he had no identification on him with he was picked up and taken to the hospital. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** GUNNED DOWN: A 35-year-old man was shot and killed at the corner of Foster Avenue and New York Avenue in East Flatbush last week. Police said that the victim was near the corner at 12:15 p.m. on May 13 when an unidentified assassin opened fire. Cops did not disclose how many times the victim was hit. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he died of his injuries. As of this writing, investigators had not released a motive. Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 67th Precinct at (718) 287-3311. All calls will be kept confidential. *** WOMAN WAS MURDERED: More information has come to light about the woman found dead in an alley earlier this month. Officials said that the woman, who remained unidentified as this paper went to press, had been tied up, stabbed and slashed in the head, officials said. The woman, who is believed to be between 25 and 30 years old, was found wrapped in a carpet in the back of 558 Parkside Avenue just after 3 a.m. on May 3. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this discovery to call the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** MURDER SEARCH BEGINS ANEW: With the help of America’s Most Wanted, cops are renewing their hunt for a murderer involved in a shocking Independence Day killing. This past weekend, the picture of Raheem “Radio” Edwards was shown to the nation as investigators continue a multi-jurisdictional search for him. Edwards has been accused of gunning down Daniel Springer, a Canarsie resident, as he and a friend returned home on July 4, 2004. In a horrid case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Edwards shot blindly in Springer’s direction on East 98th Street because he couldn’t find his intended victim. “I didn’t come here for nothing,” witnesses heard Edwards say as he pulled a gun and started blasting in Springer’s direction. Seven shots were fired. Springer was hit in the back as he and his friend ran away and died at the hospital a few hours later, according to police. Edwards fled the jurisdiction, but has since been spotted down south, police said. Detectives also discovered that Edwards is a suspect in another murder, this one in Anaheim, California. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward. A $2,000 reward has been posted for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the one responsible. Calls can be made to either the NYPD Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** GUNMEN RAID TRAVEL AGENCY: Cops are looking for three men who raided a Marine Park travel agency at gunpoint Monday. Police said that the suspects, described only as three black males, entered the travel agency, located at 5807 Avenue T at about 5:30 p.m. on May 16 with bandannas covering their faces. At least one of the suspects pulled a gun, ordering the workers inside to a back room, where they robbed them of their cell phones and wallets. No injuries were reported. As of this writing, the suspects were still at large. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the 63rd Precinct at (718) 258-4411. All calls will be kept confidential. *** COPS NAB PIECE TO ROBBERY SPREE PUZZLE: A man that may have been connected to a spree of robberies was arrested last week, officials from the 63rd Precinct announced. Police said that the 17-year-old suspect, who was not named, was taken into custody on a warrant sometime after midnight on Monday, May 9. Officials believe that the suspect is responsible for at least two hold-ups, including J&J Electronics in Flatlands. Police Officer James Murphy of the 63rd Precinct anti-crime team was credited with the arrest. *** KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS: A 47-year-old man was struck in the head with a brick, knocked unconscious and robbed as he walked down Quentin Road, officials said. Police said that the victim was nearing West 7th Street in Gravesend at 1 a.m. on May 14 when someone struck him in the back from behind. The thief, who was not identified, robbed the victim of $60 and ran off, officials said. Cops are currently looking for the thief. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611. All calls will be kept confidential. *** ROBBED OF CELL PHONE: A 20-year-old woman was thrown to the ground and robbed of her cell phone near the corner of West 7th Street and Avenue U, officials said. Police said that the suspect, identified only as a black male, approached the woman at 12:45 p.m. on May 13, demanding her money and phone. When the woman balked, the suspect knocked her to the ground and robbed her, officials said. *** ROOFTOP BURGLAR STRIKES AVENUE U STORE: A burglar broke into an Avenue U store last week, stealing over $41,500 in property. Workers said that the thief tunneled into the store through the roof sometime after 10 p.m. on May 14. $15,000 in cash was reportedly taken from the store, along with a pricey stereo. Cops are investigating the break-in. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. *** THREE NABBED IN ROBBERY: Three teens were taken into custody last week after they attempted to rob someone at the corner of Kings Highway and East 19th Street last week, police alleged. The victim, 18, told police that he was passing the corner at 1:50 a.m. on May 14 when the three suspects allegedly pounced, punching him in the face. The suspects went into the victim’s pants pockets, robbed him of $80 and ran off, only to be caught outside of 1618 East 15th Street, officials alleged. Police charged Roy Anderson, 17, Abraham Gavarretti, 18 and Elias Ahaya, 18 with robbery. *** COURT CUTTING: A 14-year-old hoops player was attacked during a disagreement on the sidelines of an Avenue U basketball court, officials. The victim said that he was playing with his friends at 9:45 p.m. May 4 when an 18-year-old male approached, demanding to know why the victim had hit his girlfriend with the basketball. During the argument, the suspect threw the victim onto the floor, pulled a knife, and cut him with it, officials said. The teen was not seriously harmed, officials said. The community is invited to St. Alban’s Health’s Guild’s 17th Comprehensive Community Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 4 at 9408 Farragut Road. Free screenings for blood glucose, blood pressure, dental, podiatry, respiratory and vision, as well as free mammograms for women 40 and older will be provided by participating organizations, including the Women’s Outreach Network, American Italian Cancer Foundation, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, New York Methodist Hospital, St. Mary’s, and EPIC, the NYS Senior Prescription Plan. Free health literature will also be available. Call 718-257-0706 for more information.
